Means for balancing and strengthening of ocular muscles and developing fusion



Oct. 13, 1936. R w SMITH 2,057,066

MEANS FORIBALANCING AND STRENGTHENING 0F OCULAR MUSCLESAND DEVELOPING FUSION Filed Au 16, 1934 INVENTOR, 114' 5 7212%;

" ATTORNEYS,

Patented Oct. 13, 1936 I I 2,057,066

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR'BAIQANCING AND STRENGTH- ENING OF OCULAB MUSCLES ANDIDE- VELOPINGrFUSION Robert W. Smith, Kansas City, Mo. Application August 18, 1934, Serial No. 740,089

This invention relates to means for balancing with respect to the instrument per se, the same and strengthening of ocular muscles anddevelmay be exemplified in one as illustrated in the oping fusion in the human eye, and one of the drawing and may comprise a holder 8 that is primary aims is to provide in such a method a formed of any suitable material and made to 5 sequence of novel and unique steps which will resupport a pair of optical'glass prisms8 that are '5 sult in accomplishing theends in mind. mounted with their bases I0 disposed outwardly Another object of the invention is the provision toward the ends of holder 6 so that when viewof a specially made and unique instrument which ing an object through these prisms, the eyes will is designed to train the eyes to fuse normally the be caused to converge as hereinafter set down.

10 two images seen when viewing an object and to In order to fulfill the accommodation feature, 1

develope weak ocular muscles to normal strength. there is combined with each of prisms 8 a minus Another object of the invention is the proor piano-concave. lens I2 which'is removably asvision of an optical instrument used in' the aforesociated with prisms 8 by a spring catch it in said means which-will train all the ocular musco-operation with a number of shoulders l8, all

cles and the fusion faculties of the eyes to work supported by holder 8. In describing the inven- 15 in harmony and coordination. tion, as comprising separate lenses in the form of A large number of minor objects of this invenprisms 8 and lens I2, only the commercially detion will appear during the course of the followsirable form is mentioned. It is understood that ing specification, referring to the accompanying prisms 8 and associated lens l2 might be made of drawing, wherein: a single piece of optical glass. Holder 6 is formed, 20

Figure'l is afront view of an instrument made so that the prisms and lenses might be brought for use in the method contemplated and embodyinto operative relation with the eyes and the ining the instant invention. strument might be made any pupillary width. It Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the inis necessary to relate prisms 8 and lenses I! so strument taken on line IIII of Fig.1, and, that the action of the lenses will be always to 25 Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the utilize that amount of accommodation necessary action of the instrument on the eyes. to focus the eyes at the same near point which It is well known in the profession that muscles theprisms establish. of the eyes might be exercised and trained to As anexample of a pupillary distance, let it be function in a more perfect manner approaching assumed that the same is '70 mm. This pupillary 30 the normal if suitable means are employed to condistance of 70 mm. requires 42 prism diopters centrate the exercises in those muscles most comto establish the equivalent of binocular fixation monly weak. This invention, including both the at 6% inches from the eyes. A pupillary dismethod and instrument, is intended to make the tance of 60 mm. requires but 36 prism diopters to functions of the eyes normal whether the eyes give the same equivalent. In practice, the in- 35 being treated are in need of glasses or whether strument can be made with prisms to give the they are merely weak and require co-ordination equivalent of binocular fixation at any point such and building up. as- 10, 12 and 15 inches from the eyes and the This invention is not intended to eliminate the minus lens must be made to cause an accommouse of glasses when the same are necessary or addation to the same point that the prism is fixed 40 visable, but is intended to eliminate the necessifor, I ty of rest or accommodation relieving lenses in With a pupillary distance of 65 mm. requiring the pre-presbyopic ages and to preclude the fit- 39 prism diopters, there is used 6.00 diopter ting and use of accommodation replacing lenses lenses. In using the instrument, an object O is 5 before they are actually needed. The use of the viewed by eyes E1 and E: at a distance of more 45 method and instrument in accordance with the than .twenty feet and without the use of the ininvention will also eliminate the fitting and weartrume t, ing of stronger-than-needed accommodation re- An instrument having a pupillary width ,of 65 placing lenses within'the presbyopic ages. It has mm can be used for any other pupillary width also been discovered that the instrument embodywhen the minus lens is in place as a width of ing the features of the invention will balance'and over mm. receives the necessary increased co-ordinate all the working functions of the two base out prism to care for the increased coneyes and eliminate unnatural toxic accumulavergence necessary, from the 6.00 diopter lens. tions. Obviously, the invention. will not over- In other wordsflooking through the prisms to 55 come normal toxic fatigue. the outside of the optical centers thereof will 68 minus lenses to assure the increased convergence necessary to bring the accommodated focal point to 6% inches from the eyes.

When the instrument is placed with prisms 8 and lenses If -as shown 'in Fig. 2, the path of rays indicated'by lines A and OB is changed so that the path is described by line 00 and OD.

Placing of the instrument before the eyes will cause the axes of eyes E1 and E: to change to converge at point 01. which will cause an action in the eyes the same as though they were viewing the object O at the near point 01 without the instrument; The axes of eyes E1 and E1, there fore, will be along lines 01-1" and 01---G.

The eyes will first converge and fuse and then accommodationwilltake placebecause of the minus lens II. The internal recti-and ciliary muscles of the eyesthat are brought into play will be developed and strengthened so that fusion, adduction and accommodation will take place in harmony and in a co-ordinated manner. The instrument specified above with respect to papillary distance, prism diopters and minus lens strength may be used by any person thirtythree years of age or younger because at this age that amoimt of accommodation is normally available. At the age of thirty-six there is normally an amplitude of accommodation of 5.25 diopters so that the minus sphere or lens 12 will be -5.25. It has been found at the ageof 50 that the normal amount of accommodation re-- maining is 2.50 diopters so that the minus sphere II will be -2.50 diopters;

Combination of'lens I! with prism I bring! 9,057,066 bring into use theprismatic eifect of decentered' about the desired result as set forth in the objects mentioned and it has been found that ocular muscles will bebalanced, strengthened and fusion appr ciably developed when the method and instrument contemplated by this invention" are employed;

While one embodiment of the instrument and one method has been described, it is understood that the scope of the invention is limited only by prior art and the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what'is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

An instrument of the character described for exercising the internal recti and ciliary muscles of the eyes to balance the same and to develope fusion comprising, in combination, a holder; a-

pair of prisms mounted base out in the holder to act on the internal recti muscles to cause the visual axes of the eyes to converge and meet at an artificially created near point; and a minus spherical lens supported by the holder in juxtaposition with each prism respectively to simultaneously cause the ciliary muscles of the eyes b0 establish that amount of accommodation necessary to focus upon the said near point, said p i being formed to give the equivalent of binocular fixation at a predetermined distance from the eyes, said minus. lenses being formed to simultaneously co-operate with said prisms to cause the amount of accommodation of the ciliary muscles necessary to focus to the said predetermined near point of binocular ation established by said prisms.

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